Durham city’s riverside continues to evolve as two multi-million pound developments take shape.
Construction work on Milburngate and Durham County Council’s new headquarters are taking shape as the city’s riverside continues to evolve.
Taking place during the next 18 months, the first phase of Milburngate will include the addition of an Everyman boutique cinema, a 92-bed flagship Premier Inn Hotel along with premium bars and restaurants such as Bar + Block and Miller and Carter.
The structural steel erection of the Premier Inn Hotel is under way, along with the construction of the Everyman Cinema screens building and adjacent restaurant units. Further foundations of parts of phase one are also being laid, along with drainage and piling works to the areas of the site.
To ensure safe working conditions, Milburngate’s main contractor Tolent has implemented enhanced site operating procedures that include the reduction of the number of people on site and the staggering of shifts and break times.
Allan Cook, Managing Director of Arlington Real Estate, part of the Arlington / Richardson JV developing Milburngate, said: “This is a unique and challenging time and we are working closely with Tolent to consistently review and evolve safety procedures, ensuring the safety of everyone on site as we follow government guidelines to continue the construction of Milburngate.”
Andy McLeod, Chief Executive of Tolent, said: “The safety of our staff is paramount and by administering rigorous social distancing and health and safety protocol, we are able to safely continue work in some areas of the site.”
Alongside the leisure offering, the development will include 53,701 sq ft of Grade A office space within One Milburngate, which is expected to create up to 400 jobs in the city, and 153 built-to-rent apartments.
Across the river, work to build the council’s new headquarters started in August last year and will replace the local authority's current building at Aykley Heads.
The development, which is being completed by Kier Property, will include a council chamber, cafe and new civic square that will be linked to the Penny Ferry Bridge.
A spokesperson for Kier Property said: “In the coming months we will continue with the installation of precast concrete floors and wrapping the external envelope before work starts on the internal elements of the building.
“The health, safety and welfare of our people is paramount and, as a responsible business, we have reviewed our sites to ensure they can operate in a way which continues to comply with the construction leadership council’s site operating procedures, which are based on the guidance issued by Public Health England.
“Following this review, the sites that are able to comply with these procedures, which includes Durham County Council headquarters, continue to be operational.”